Compositions treating, preventing or reducing elevated metabolic levels

ABSTRACT

A method for orally administering vitamin preparations is described which combine vitamin B 12  (B 12 , cobalamin) and folic acid (folate), with and without pyridoxine (B 6 ), for preventing and treating elevated serum homocysteine (HC), cystathionine (CT), methylmalonic acid (MMA), or 2-methylcitric acid (2-MCA) levels. These metabolites have been shown to be indicative of B 12  and/or folic acid deficiencies. Further, it is likely that a B 6  deficiency may be present with a B 12  or folate deficiency. The method of the invention is also for use in lowering serum HC, CT, MMA, or 2-MCA in patients with or at risk for neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal or hematologic diseases. The method of the present invention eliminates the costly and time consuming steps of distinguishing between vitamin deficiencies once a deficiency is found by measurement of serum metabolite levels. The present invention is of particular benefit to the populations at risk for elevated serum metabolite levels, such as the people over the age of 65, and populations that have or are at risk for neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal and hematologic diseases.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/273,754, filed Mar. 22, 1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,224, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/012,955 filed Jan. 26, 1998, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,651, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/693,515, filed Aug. 2, 1996, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,873, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 07/999,499 filed Dec. 29, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,126.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of nutrition. Specifically, the invention is comprised of new oral vitamin preparations combining vitamin B₁₂ (B₁₂, cobalamin) and folic acid (folate), and vitamin B₁₂, folate, and pyridoxine (B₆) for use in patients with elevated serum metabolite levels of homocysteine (HC), cystathionine (CT), methylmalonic acid (MMA), or 2-methylcitric acid (2-MCA). The elevation of these metabolites has been shown to be indicative of tissue deficiencies of B₁₂ and/or folate and/or B₆, and related to increased risk of neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal and hematologic diseases. One embodiment of the present invention uses a non-prescription formulation comprising between 0.3-10.0 mg B₁₂ and 0.1-0.4 mg folate, with the preferred embodiment using 2.0 mg B₁₂ and 0.4 mg folate. Another embodiment of the non-prescription formulation uses 0.3-10 mg B₁₂, 0.1-0.4 mg folate, and 5-75 mg B₆, with the preferred embodiment using 2.0 mg B₁₂, 0.4 mg folate, and 25 mg B₆. Another embodiment of the present invention uses a prescription strength formulation comprising between 0.3-10.0 mg B₁₂ and 0.4-1.0 mg folate, with the preferred embodiment using 2 mg B₁₂ and 1.0 mg folate. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a prescription strength formulation is used comprising 0.3-10 mg B₁₂, 0.4-1.0 mg folate, and 5-75 mg B₆, with the preferred embodiment using 2 mg B₁₂, 1.0 mg folate, and 25 mg B₆. The formulations of the present invention eliminate the costly and time-consuming steps of distinguishing between vitamin deficiencies once a deficiency is found by measurement of serum metabolite levels. The present invention is of particular benefit to the populations at risk for tissue deficiencies of B₁₂, folate, and B₆, such as people over the age of 65, and populations that have or are at risk for neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal and hematologic diseases.

BACKGROUND

Vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆ are required cofactors in metabolic pathways involving methionine, homocysteine, cystathionine, and cysteine. B₁₂ in the form of 5′-deoxyadenosylcobalamin is an essential cofactor in the enzymatic conversion of methylmalonylCoA to succinylCoA. The remethylation of homocysteine (HC) to methionine catalyzed by methionine synthase requires folate (methyltetrahydrofolate) and B₁₂ in the form of methylcobalamin. HC is condensed with serine to form cystathionine (CT) in a reaction catalyzed by cystathionine □-synthase which requires B₆ (pyridoxal phosphate). CT is hydrolyzed in another B₆-dependent reaction to cysteine and □-ketobutyrate.

It is important to diagnose and treat B₁₂, folate, and B₆ deficiencies because these deficiencies can lead to life-threatening hematologic abnormalities which are completely reversible by proper treatment. B₁₂ deficiency is a multisystem disorder with extremely varied clinical presentation which has been thought to occur in 0.4% of the population, e.g., about 1 million people in the United States. Symptoms of B₁₂ deficiency include significant anemia, displayed for example in decreased hematocrit (e.g., <25%) or hemoglobin (e.g., ≦8 g %), with macrocytic red blood cells (i.e., mean cell volume generally greater than 100 fl), or neurologic symptoms of peripheral neuropathy and/or ataxia. See, for example, Babior and Bunn (1983) in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, (Petersdorf et al., eds.), McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York; Lee and Gardner (1984) in Textbook of Family Practice, 3rd Ed. (Rakel, ed.), Saunders & Co., Philadelphia). The hematological abnormalities seen are due to intracellular folate deficiency since folate is required for a number of essential enzymatic reactions involved in DNA and RNA synthesis and since the form of folate in serum (5-methyltetrahydrofolate) must be metabolized to tetrahydrofolate by the B₁₂-dependent enzyme methionine synthase before it can be utilized by the RNA- and DNA-related enzymes. While it has been well recognized that individuals with B₁₂ deficiency could display neurologic disorders in the absence of anemia, such situations were believed to be exceptional and rare. See, Beck (1985) in Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 17th Ed., (Wyngaarden and Smith, eds.), W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 893-900; Babior and Bunn (1987) in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 11th Ed., (Braunwald et al., eds.) McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 1498-1504; Walton (1985) in Brain's Diseases of the Nervous System, 9th Ed., Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. The neurologic symptoms of B₁₂ deficiency were considered to be late manifestations of the disease most typically occurring after the onset of anemia or, if they occurred first, were soon to be followed by the onset of anemia. See, Woltmann (1919) Am. J. Med. Sci. 157:400-409 Victor and Lear (1956) Am. J. Med. 20:896-911.

However, it has recently been shown that the textbook description of severe megaloblastic anemia and combined systems disease of the nervous system is the rarest presentation of B₁₂ deficiency at the present time (Stabler et al. (1990) Blood 76:871-881; Carmel (1988) Arch. Int. Med. 148:1712-1714 Allen (1991) in Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th Ed., (Wyngaarden and Smith, et al. eds.), W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 846-854.). Therefore, contrary to previous teachings, patients that may benefit from B₁₂ therapy may have minimal to no hematologic changes while manifesting a wide variety of neurologic and psychiatric abnormalities (Lindenbaum et al. (1988) N. Engl. J. Med. 318:1720-1728; Greenfield and O'Flynn (1933) Lancet 2:62-63). This is particularly true for populations at risk for B₁₂ deficiency, such as the elderly population (Pennypacker et al. (1992) J. Am. Geriatric Soc. 40: (in press).

The incidence of folate deficiency in the population is unknown, but has been thought to occur commonly in individuals with various degrees of alcoholism. The hematologic abnormalities seen with folate deficiency, such as macrocytic anemia, are indistinguishable from those seen with B₁₂ deficiency. Folate is required for a number of essential enzymatic reactions involved in DNA and RNA synthesis, and is particularly important in rapidly dividing cells like those in the bone marrow.

B₆ is required for the first step in heme synthesis and serves a major role in transamination reactions of amino acid metabolism, in decarboxylations, and in the synthesis of the neuroactive amines histamine, tyramine, serotonin, and □-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Clinical manifestations include microcytic hypochromic anemia, characteristic skin changes of dermatitis and acrodynia, muscular weakness, and a variety of neuropsychiatric abnormalities including hyperirritability, epileptiform convulsions, depression and confusion (Newbeme and Conner (1989) in Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 796-834).

Vitamin deficiencies are generally determined by measurement of serum levels. Normal serum B₁₂ levels are 200-900 pg/ml, with levels of less than 100 pg/ml being said to indicate clinically significant deficiency (Beck (1985) supra) However, serum B₁₂ levels are a relatively insensitive determinant of B₁₂ deficiency in that only 50% of patients with clinically confirmed B₁₂ deficiency have levels less than 100 pg/ml, 40% are 100-200 pg/ml, and at least 5-10% have values in the 200-300 pg/ml range. Diagnosis is further complicated by the fact that 2.5% of normal subjects (6,250,000 people in the U.S.) have low serum B₁₂ levels (Allen (1991) supra), with no evidence of B₁₂ deficiency and are unlikely to benefit from B₁₂ therapy (Schilling et al. (1983) Clin. Chem. 29:582; Stabler (1990) supra).

Normal serum folate levels are 2.5-20 ng/ml, with levels less than 2.5 ng/ml indicating the possibility of clinically significant deficiency. Like B₁₂ serum levels, however, serum folate levels are a relatively insensitive measure in that only 50-75% of patients with folate deficiency have levels less than 2.5% ng/ml, with most of the remaining 25-50% being in the 2.5-5.0 ng/ml range (Allen (1991) in Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th Ed., supra)

The development of sensitive serum metabolite assays for HC, CT, MMA, and 2-MCA has allowed the relationship between metabolite levels and vitamin deficiencies to be investigated (Stabler et al. (1987) Anal. Biochem. 162:185-196; Stabler et al. (1986) J. Clin. Invest. 77:1606-1612; Stabler et al. (1988) J. Clin. Invest. 81:466-474). It has been found that elevated serum levels of HC and MMA are clinically useful tests of functional intracellular deficiencies of B₁₂ and folate, with elevated HC levels seen with both B₁₂ and folate deficiencies, and elevated MMA levels seen with a B₁₂ deficiency (Allen et al. (1990) Am. J. Hematol. 34:9098 Lindenbaum et al. (1990) Am. J. Hematol. 34:99-107; Lindenbaum et al. (1988) N. Engl. J. Med. 318:1720-1728; Beck (1991) in Neuropsychiatric Consequences of Cobalamin Deficiency, Mosby Year Book 36:33-56 Moelby et al. (1990) 228:373-378; Ueland and Refsum (1989) J. Lab. Clin. Med. 114:473-501; Pennypacker et al. (1992) supra). Increased serum levels of CT are seen in both deficiencies and 2-MCA is elevated in B₁₂ deficiency (Allen et al. (1991) in Proceedings of the 1st International Congress on Vitamins and Biofactors in Life Science, Kobe (Japan); Allen et al. (1993) Metabolism (in press)). HC and CT may be elevated in patients with intracellular deficiency of B₆, but this has not been as well documented (Park and Linkswiler (1970) J. Nutr. 100:110-116; Smolin and Benvange (1982) J. Nutr. 112:1264-1272).

Elevated serum metabolite levels are observed in disease states other than classic vitamin deficiencies. For example, elevated HC levels have been observed in the presence of vascular disease. The homocysteine theory of atherosclerosis, formulated by McCully and Wilson (1975) Atherosclerosis 22:215-227, suggests that high levels of HC are responsible for the vascular lesions seen in homocystinuria, a genetic defect caused by a deficiency in the enzyme cystathionine □-synthase. The theory also implies that moderate elevations of HC might be associated with increased risk for vascular disease (Ueland et al. (1992) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Hemostasis, and Endothelial Function (Francis, Jr., ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 183-236). Moderate hyperhomocysteinemia has been shown to be frequently present in cases of stroke and to be independent of other stroke risk factors (Brattstrom et al. (1992) Eur. J. Clin. Invest. 22:214-221). Clinical and experimental evidence demonstrates that patients who are homozygotes for cystathionine □-synthase deficiency have a markedly increased incidence of vascular disease and thrombosis. A number of studies (see, Clarke et al. (1991) N. Engl. J. Med. 324:1149-1155) strongly suggest that heterozygotes for a deficiency of cystathionine β-synthase also have an increased incidence of vascular disease and thrombosis and that such heterozygotes may constitute as many as one-third of all patients who develop strokes, heart attacks, or peripheral vascular disease under age 50. It is also likely that such heterozygotes are also at increased risk for vascular disease and thrombosis after age 50. Since the incidence of heterozygosity for cystathionine β-synthase deficiency is estimated to be 1 in 60-70, this means that there are approximately 4 million heterozygotes in the U.S. It is also possible that patients with vascular disease due to other causes, such as hypercholesterolemia, would also benefit from a decrease in their serum HC levels even if their existing levels are only slightly elevated or actually within the normal range.

Renal disease is another condition that gives rise to elevated levels of serum metabolites. Approximately 75% of patients with renal disease have elevated serum concentrations of HC, CT, MMA, and 2-MCA. Since patients with renal disease have a significant incidence and marked acceleration of vascular disease, it might be beneficial to lower their serum metabolite levels, especially that of HC.

An increasing prevalence of low serum B₁₂ concentrations with advancing age has been found by many but not all investigators (Bailey et al. (1980) J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 28:276-278 Eisborg et al. (1976) Acta Med. Scand. 200:309-314; Niisson-Ehle et al. (1989) Dig. Dis. Sci. 34:716-723; Norman (1985) 33:374; Hitzhusen et al. (1986) Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 85:3236), folate (Magnus et al. (1982) Scan. J. Haematol. 28:360-366; Blundell et al. (1985) J. Clin. Pathol. 38:1179-1184 Elwood et al. (1971) Br. J. Haematol. 21:557-563; Garry et al. (1984) J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 32:71926; Hanger et al. (1991) J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 39:1155-1159), and B₆ (Ranke et al. (1960) J. Gerontol. 15:41-44; Rose et al. (1976) Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 29:847-853; Baker et al. (1979) J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 27:444450). Moreover, prevalence estimates for these vitamin deficiencies vary widely depending on the population groups studied. It has been unclear whether this increased prevalence is a normal age related phenomena or a true reflection of tissue vitamin deficiency and whether the low serum vitamin concentrations are a reliable indicator of functional intracellular deficiency.

It is difficult, expensive and time-consuming to distinguish between deficiencies of vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆. The hematologic abnormalities seen with B₁₂ deficiency are indistinguishable from those seen with folate deficiency. Similarly to a B₁₂ deficiency, B₆ deficiencies also result in hematologic as well as neuropsychiatric abnormalities. The traditional methods of determining deficiencies by measurement of serum vitamin levels are often insensitive. As a result, in order to determine if and which vitamin deficiency is present, a patient will be treated with one vitamin at a time and the response to that vitamin determined by normalization of serum vitamin levels and the correction of hematologic abnormalities. These steps are then repeated with each vitamin. This method of treatment is both expensive and time-consuming. In the presence of multiple deficiencies, the diagnosis of vitamin deficiencies is further confused and give rise to the dangerous possibility that only one deficiency will be treated. For example, the hematologic abnormalities seen with a B₁₂ deficiency will respond to treatment with folate alone. However, the neuropsychiatric abnormalities caused by the B₁₂ deficiency will not be corrected and may indeed by worsened.

It has now been discovered for the first time that the prevalence of intracellular deficiencies of vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆, alone or in combination, is substantially higher than that previously estimated by measurement of serum vitamin concentrations. The present disclosure establishes that tissue deficiencies of one or more of the vitamins B₁₂, folate and B₆, as demonstrated by the elevated metabolite concentrations, occurs commonly in the elderly population even when serum vitamin levels are normal. Based on this new discovery, the present invention addresses the problem of distinguishing between vitamin deficiencies when low, low-normal, or normal serum vitamin concentrations are found by providing formulations for the treatment of high serum metabolites and at-risk populations for combinations of one or more tissue deficiencies of vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆.

Hathcock and Troendle (1991) JAMA 265:96-97, have suggested the treatment of pernicious anemia with an oral pill containing 300 to 1000 ug or more per day of B₁₂. However, contrary to the present invention, Hathcock and Troendle teach away from combining B₁₂ therapy with folate, since “if the oral cobalamin therapy should fail to maintain adequate levels, folate might provide protection against development of anemia while permitting nerve damage from cobalamin deficiency.”

U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,083, issued Jul. 31, 1990 to Jansen, entitled: Safe Oral Folic-Acid-Containing Vitamin Preparation, describes a oral vitamin preparation comprising 0.1-1.0 mg B₁₂ and 0.1-1.0 mg folate for the treatment or prevention of megaloblastic anemia. This formulation presents a problem in the case of a B₁₂ deficient patient, in that the 0.5 mg folate may correct the hematologic abnormalities present, but the 0.5 mg B₁₂ dose may be insufficient to correct a B₁₂ deficiency due to inadequate intrinsic factor. By contrast, the formulation of the present invention teaches the use of the combination of B₁₂ and folate, and of B₁₂, folate and B₆, sufficient to treat either single or multiple deficiencies of B₁₂, folate, and B₆. The present invention does not rely on the determination of vitamin deficiencies by the measurement of serum vitamin levels, but uses the more sensitive measurement of elevated serum metabolites of HC, CT, MMA, and 2-MCA, shown to be related to the presence of B₁₂ and/or folate and/or to B₆ deficiencies or to the presence of the increased risk of neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal, and hematologic diseases.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention includes a method for orally administering two new vitamin preparations containing vitamin B₁₂ and folate, and vitamin B₁₂, folate and B₆, for the treatment of patients with elevated serum metabolites, such as homocysteine, cystathionine, methylmalonic acid, and 2-methylcitric acid, as well as populations at risk for tissue deficiencies in one or more of the vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆ or for neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal, or hematologic diseases.

One embodiment of the present invention uses an over-the-counter formulation comprised of between 0.3-10 mg CN-cobalamin (B₁₂) and 0.1-0.4 mg folate. Another embodiment of the non-prescription formulation uses 0.3-10 mg B₁₂, 0.1-0.4 mg folate, and 5-75 mg B₆. Preferred embodiments of the over-the-counter formulation are comprised of about 2.0 mg B₁₂ and 0.4 mg folate, and 2.0 mg B₁₂, 0.4 mg folate, and 25 mg B₆, respectively.

Another embodiment of the present invention uses a prescription formulation comprised of between 0.3-10 mg CN-cobalamin (B₁₂) and 0.4-10.0 mg folate. Another embodiment of the prescription formulation of the present invention uses 0.3-10 mg B₁₂, 0.4-10.0 mg folate, and 5-75 mg B₆. Preferred embodiments of the prescription formulation use about 2.0 mg B₁₂ and 1.0 mg folate, and 2.0 mg B₁₂, 1.0 mg folate, and 25 mg B₆, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the distribution of serum B₁₂ levels for a population of elderly outpatients (ages 65-99, n=152) and a normal population (ages 17-65, n=100).

FIG. 2 shows serum MMA levels for a population of elderly outpatients with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 65-99, n=38/152) and a normal population with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 17-65, n=10/100)

FIG. 3 shows serum HC levels for a population of elderly outpatients with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 65-99, n=38/152) and a normal population with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 17-65, n=10/100).

FIG. 4 shows serum MMA levels before and after treatment with parenteral cobalamin for a population of elderly outpatients with elevated MMA values and serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 65-99, n=15/38).

FIG. 5 shows serum HC levels before and after treatment with parenteral cobalamin for a population of elderly outpatients with elevated HC values and serum B₁₂ values of<300 pg/ml (ages 65-99, n=10/38)

FIG. 6 shows the distribution of serum B₁₂ levels for a population of elderly nursing home patients (ages 55-107, n=212) and a normal population (ages 17-65, n=100).

FIG. 7 shows serum MMA levels for a population of elderly nursing home patients with. serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 55-107, n=29/212) and a normal population with serum B₁₂ values (ages 17-65, n=10/100).

FIG. 8 shows serum HC levels for a population of elderly nursing home patients with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 55-107, n=29/212) and a normal population with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 17-65, n=10/100).

FIG. 9 shows serum MMA levels before and after treatment with parenteral cobalamin for a population of elderly nursing home patients with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 55-107, n=14/29).

FIG. 10 shows serum HC levels before and after treatment with parenteral cobalamin for a population of elderly nursing home patients with serum B₁₂ values<300 pg/ml (ages 55-107, n=14/29).

FIG. 11 shows the distribution of serum B₁₂ levels for a population of elderly patients (ages 65-99, n=548) and a normal population (ages 22-63, n=117) (Framingham study).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, which, together with the following examples, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

This invention uses new oral vitamin formulations combining vitamin B₁₂ (B₁₂, cobalamin) and folic acid (folate), and vitamin B₁₂, folate and pyridoxine (B₆). The formulations of the present invention are for use in the treatment of elevated serum levels of one or more of the metabolites homocysteine (HC), cystathionine (CT), methylmalonic acid (MMA), or 2-methylcitric acid (2-MCA). The use of the formulations of the present invention further include as a method of lowering serum metabolite levels of one or more of HC, CT, MMA, or 2-MCA, where these metabolite levels are not elevated but the patients are at risk for or have neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal, or hematologic diseases.

One embodiment of the present invention uses a non-prescription formulation comprised of between about 0.3-10 mg CN-cobalamin (B₁₂) and 0.1-0.4 mg folate. Another embodiment of the present invention uses a non-prescription formulation comprised of between about 0.3-10 mg B₁₂, 0.1-0.4 mg folate, and 5-75 mg B₆. Preferred embodiments of the non-prescription formulation are comprised of about 2.0 mg B₁₂ and 0.4 mg folate, and 2.0 mg B₁₂, 0.4 mg folate, and 25 mg B₆, respectively.

Another embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a prescription formulation comprised of between about 0.3-10 mg B₁₂ and 0.4-10.0 mg folate, with the preferred embodiment comprised of about 2.0 mg B₁₂ and 1.0 mg folate. Another embodiment of the prescription strength formulation is comprised of about 0.3-10 mg B₁₂, 0.4-10.0 mg folate, and 5-75 mg B₆, with a preferred embodiment comprised of about 2.0 mg B₁₂, 1.0 mg folate, and 25 mg B₆.

The formulations of the present invention are for the treatment and prevention of elevated metabolite levels in at risk populations, such as the elderly, and people that have or are at risk for neuropsychiatric, vascular, renal and hematologic diseases. The present invention eliminates the costly and time consuming need to differentiate between B₁₂, folate, and B₆ deficiencies.

The administration of a daily dose of the vitamin formulations of the present invention provides better long-term normalization of serum HC and other metabolites than prior art formulations, and eliminates the difficulty in differentiating between deficiencies of two or three of the vitamins, the difficulty in diagnosing multiple deficiencies of two or three of the vitamins, and the expense of doing so. Further, the administration of an oral preparation of B₁₂ and folate, with or without B₆, is preferred over intramuscular injections for patient convenience and ease of administration.

For example, the inclusion of B₁₂ will be useful as a safeguard for patients misdiagnosed folate deficient, even though they are actually B₁₂ deficient, since treatment with folate alone in such patients is extremely dangerous. The danger arises from the fact that treating a B₁₂ deficient patient with folate alone may reverse or prevent the hematologic abnormalities seen in B₁₂ deficiency, but will not correct the neuropsychiatric abnormalities of a B₁₂ deficiency and may actually precipitate them. Even in the absence of intrinsic factor, approximately 1% of a 2.0 mg oral dose of B₁₂ is absorbed by diffusion. Thus, approximately 20 ug of B₁₂ would be absorbed from the formulations of the present invention which would be more than adequate even in patients with pernicious anemia who have lost their intrinsic factor-facilitated absorption mechanism for B₁₂. The inclusion of folate will be of benefit since B₁₂ deficiency causes a secondary intracellular deficiency of folate. The inclusion of folate and B₆ will also be of benefit in patients with mixed vitamin deficiencies.

The formulations of the present invention may be administered as a non-injectable implant or orally. Non-injectable use may be as a patch. Formulations for oral administration are preferably encapsulated. Preferably, the capsule is designed so that the formulation is released gastrically where bioavailability is maximized. Additional excipients may be included to facilitate absorption of the vitamin formulations. Diluents, flavorings, low melting point waxes, vegetable oils, lubricants, suspending agents, tablet disintegrating agents, and binders may also be employed.

Example 1 describes the methods used to measure serum vitamin and metabolite levels. Example 2 describes a new study conducted with 412 subjects over the age of 65 with a variety of medical conditions correlating the incidence of low serum vitamin levels with elevated serum metabolite levels. A study determining the incidence of undetected B₁₂ deficiency and response of serum MMA and HC to B₁₂ treatment in a geriatric outpatient population is described in Example 3. Example 4 describes a similar study conducted with a geriatric nursing home population, and Example 5 describes a similar study conducted with another geriatric population.

EXAMPLE 1 Methods for Measurement of Serum Vitamin and Metabolite Levels

Serum vitamin assays. Serum vitamins B₁₂ and folate were measured by a quantitative radioassay method using purified intrinsic factor and purified folate binding protein. Vitamin B₆ was measured by a radioenzymatic assay method wherein serum is incubated with apoenzyme tosine-decarboxylase, C₁₄ labelled tyrosine is added to start the enzymatic reaction which is stopped with HCl. Subsequently the free C₁₄-labelled CO₂ is adsorbed by a KOH impregnated filtering paper. The measured C₁₄ activity is directly proportional to the B₆ (pyridoxal phosphate) concentration (Laboratory Bioscientia, Germany).

Serum metabolite assays. Serum metabolite assays for homocysteine and methylmalonic acid were conducted by the capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry methods of Marcell et al. (1985) Anal. Biochem. 150:58; Stabler et al. (1987) supra, and Allen et al. (1990) Am. J. Hematol. 34:90-98. Serum cystathionine levels were assayed by the method of Stabler et al. (1992) Blood (submitted). Serum 2-methylcitric acid was assayed by the method of Allen et al. (1993) Metabolism supra.

Statistical methods. Statistical analysis was done with the SAS statistical package (version 6.06). Nonparametric data for two or more groups were tested with the two sample Wilcoxon rank sum test (with Bonferroni's correction for the significance level α) and the Kruskall Wallis test. From the results of the healthy young subjects reference intervals were calculated. Since the frequency distribution of the values of each parameter were markedly abnormal they were transformed to normal distributions using log transformation. The sample prevalence p with 95% confidence intervals of low serum vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆ concentrations was calculated as (p±2 p (1−p)/n×100 wherein n is the total sample size, p is the number of low serum vitamin concentrations/n; low serum concentrations are defined as<mean −2 S.D.

EXAMPLE 2 Incidence of Elevated MMA, 2-MCA, HC, and CT Levels in the Geriatric Population

The serum concentrations of B₁₂, folate, and B₆ were measured in 412 subjects over the age of 65 (subgroups A-D), and in 99 healthy control subjects aged 20-55 years (subgroup E). The geriatric subgroups were defined as follows: A, 110 patients with atherosclerosis; B, 98 patients with neuropsychiatric disorders; C, 102 patients with atherosclerosis and multiple diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes; D, 102 subjects who were healthy.

Venous blood was obtained from all subjects in the morning after an overnight fast. The blood was spun within one hour after collection and the serum was transported in dry ice to the central laboratory. Serum vitamins B₁₂ and folate were measured as described in Example 1 with a vitamin B₁₂/folate dual RIA kit (CT301/CT302 Amersham Buchier, UK). Vitamin B₆ and serum metabolites were measured as described in Example 1.

Since renal function can influence serum metabolite concentrations (Ueland and Refsum (1989) supra Moelby et al. (1992) Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest. 52:351-354), serum creatinine concentrations were measured in all subjects by the Jaffe photometric method (Laboratory Bioscientia, Germany). Normal range was 62-124 μmol/L. Creatinine clearance was calculated using the formulation of Cockroft and Gault (1976) Nephron 16:31-41.

Normal ranges for serum vitamin and metabolite levels were determined by the mean±2 standard deviations after log normalization using the values from subgroup E. Results are shown in Table 1:

TABLE 1 INCIDENCE OF LOW SERUM VITAMIN AND HIGH METABOLITE LEVELS IN GERIATRIC POPULATIONS A-D AND A YOUNGER HEALTHY POPULATION E. Group B₁₂ Folic Acid B₆ MMA 2-MCA HC CT A 6% 12% 48% 36% 44% 55% 64% B 6% 19% 53% 47% 39% 59%  6% C 3% 10% 50% 32% 45% 39% 73% D 6%  6% 17% 26% 23% 38% 41% E 2%  1%  1%  3%  6%  2%  4%

There was a rough correlation with low vitamin levels and elevated metabolites, but many of the patients with elevated metabolites had low normal or normal vitamin levels. Correlations between clinical abnormalities within groups A, B, and C were not present. Patients were treated with weekly injections of a multi-vitamin preparation containing 1.0 mg B₁₂, 1.1 mg folate, and 5 mg B₆, resulting in a marked lowering or normalization of elevated metabolite levels in virtually every elderly patient.

These data support the conclusions that there is an increased incidence of low levels of serum B₁₂, folate, and B₆ in the geriatric population, and that serum MMA, 2-MCA, HC and CT are elevated in an even higher percentage of geriatric patients. The presence of elevated levels of one or more of the metabolites HC, CT, MMA, or 2-MCA indicate a tissue or intracellular deficiency of one or more of the vitamins B₁₂, folate and B₆. It not possible to tell without expensive, time-consuming, and extensive testing which one vitamin or pair of vitamins, or whether all three vitamins are deficient. These observations, together with the fact that elevated metabolite levels are corrected by parenteral therapy with a combination of vitamins B₁₂, folate, and B₆, indicate that a tissue deficiency of one or more of these vitamins occurs commonly in the geriatric population and that measurement of serum vitamin levels alone is an inadequate method for identifying such deficiencies.

EXAMPLE 3 Determination of Serum B₁₂ Folate, MMA, HC, CT and 2-MCA Levels in a Geriatric Outpatient Population

A study was conducted with 152 elderly outpatient subjects to measure the prevalence of B₁₂ deficiency in geriatric outpatients as determined by both low serum B₁₂ levels and elevations of MMA and HC, and to determine the response to B₁₂ treatment. Blood samples were obtained on 152 consecutive geriatric outpatients, ages 65-99. Control values were determined from 100 subjects, ages 17-65. Serum B₁₂ folate, MMA HC, CT, and 2-MCA levels were obtained for each patient, shown in Table 2. The significance of the results marked as “**” in Table 2 are as follows: B₁₂ levels of<200 pg/ml; folate<3.8 ng/ml; homocysteine>16.2 uM; MMA>271 nM; CT>342 nM; and 2-MCA>228 nM. Serum MMA, HC, CT, and 2-MCA levels were measured as described in Example 1. Serum B₁₂ and folate were measured as described in Example 1 using a Corning Immophase kit (CIBA-Corning, Medfield, Mass.) with the normal range defined as 200-800 pg/ml for B₁₂ and 3.8 ng/ml for folate. After evaluation, patients received weekly parenteral cyanocobalamin injections (1,000 ug IM) for 8 weeks, followed by monthly injections. Repeat laboratory and clinical assessments were administered at 8 weeks and at 6 months.

Results show that 25% of the subjects had a serum B₁₂ level≦300 pg/ml and 8.5% had a low level of<200 pg/ml. FIG. 1 shows the shift seen in elderly subject towards lower serum B₁₂ levels. More than half of the subjects with low or low-normal serum B₁₂ levels had elevations of MMA (FIG. 2) and/or HC (FIG. 3) greater than 3 S.D. above the means in normals and representing 14.5% of the total screened population.

Patients with low and low/normal serum B₁₂ levels were treated with weekly injections of 1.0 mg B₁₂. Parenteral B₁₂ administration caused elevated metabolite levels to fall to or towards normal (FIGS. 4 and 5) in every subject treated with B₁₂. It appears that the true prevalence of previously unrecognized B₁₂ deficiency in this elderly population was at least 14.5%.

It can be seen from the data presented in Table 2 that serum B₁₂ levels are insensitive for screening B₁₂ deficiencies since similar numbers of patients with low normal serum B₁₂ levels of 201-300 pg/ml compared with patients with low B₁₂ levels (≦200 pg/ml) had markedly elevated metabolites which fell with B₁₂ treatment. Further, this study shows that elderly patients have a high incidence (at least 14.5%) of unrecognized B₁₂ deficiency, detectable by measurement of serum HC and MMA levels in patients with serum B₁₂ levels<300 pg/ml.

A further finding in this study emphasizes the need to treat elevated metabolite levels with a combination of vitamin B₁₂ and folate with or without B₆. Some of the patients exhibiting elevated metabolite levels did not fully respond to B₁₂ treatment. This may indicate a concomitant deficiency of folate and/or B₆. The lack of response to B₁₂ treatment could result from a deficiency of one, a pair, or all three vitamins. However, it would be expensive and time-consuming to attempt to distinguish between the vitamin deficiencies.

Another, and perhaps the most important, finding in this study is the large number of patients with serum B₁₂>300 pg/ml who have elevated values for one or more metabolites as indicated by a “**” next to the individual values. As can readily be seen in Table 2, there are many examples of elevated value for MMA and/or 2-MCA at all levels of serum B₁₂ including the mid-normal (300-600 pg/ml), the high-normal (600-800 pg/ml), and even the elevated (>800 pg/ml) ranges. The same is true for elevations of HC and CT. In some patients the serum folate is low, indicating that folate deficiency may be present, but in many cases both B₁₂ and folate levels are normal. B₆ levels were not performed in this study, but B₆ deficiency would not be expected to cause elevations of MMA or 2-MCA. Thus in many patients it is not clear which vitamin, or pair of vitamins, or whether all three vitamins is or are deficient. One could pick a single vitamin, often at random, with which to treat a patient for several weeks or months, and then repeat measurement of metabolite levels to determine if a partial or full correction had occurred. If there was no response, one could try another vitamin, or if there was a partial response one could add a second vitamin, and then repeat metabolite measurement after several weeks or months. If there was still no response, one could try the third vitamin, or if there was a partial response, one could try a different pair of vitamins. Eventually one could determine whether an individual vitamin, a particular pair of vitamins, or all three vitamins were required to normalize or maximally reduce the metabolite levels, but it would often require months or even a year to make this determination. Such a determination would be expensive. In addition, a patient who was optimally treated with a single vitamin or pair of vitamins might subsequently develop a deficiency of one or even two of the other vitamins as evidenced by a re-elevation or increase in the levels of one or more metabolites. Therapeutic testing could be reinitiated and continued as described above, although this would also be time-consuming and expensive.

It requires less time and expense to treat patients with elevated metabolite levels with a combination of vitamin B₁₂ and folate, or a combination of vitamin B₁₂, folate and vitamin B₆. The utility of the approach of the present invention is appreciated only after it is taught, for the first time in the present disclosure, that a deficiency of one or more of the three vitamins occurs commonly in the elderly population as evidenced by elevation of one or more metabolites, i.e., MMA, 2-MCA, HC and CT.

EXAMPLE 4 Determination of Serum B₁₂, Folate, MMA, and HC Levels in a Geriatric Nursing Home Population

A study was conducted with 212 elderly nursing home patients to determine serum B₁₂, folate, MMA, and HC levels (Table 3). The significance of the results shown in Table 3 marked with “**” are as described for Table 2 (Example 3). The control group consisted of 100 subjects between the ages of 17-65 years. As in the study described in Example 3, the elderly population exhibited a shift to lower serum B₁₂ levels (FIG. 6), elevated serum MMA (FIG. 7) and HC (FIG. 8) levels. Parenteral administration of B₁₂ 1 mg per week for 8 weeks to those with serum B₁₂<300 pg/ml caused elevated MMA (FIG. 9) and HC (FIG. 10) levels to fall to or towards normal.

As in the study reported in Example 3, a further finding in this study emphasizes the need to treat elevated metabolite levels with a combination of vitamins B₁₂ and folate, with or without B₆. Some of the patients exhibiting elevated metabolite levels did not fully respond to B₁₂ treatment. This may indicate a concomitant deficiency of folate and/or B₆. The lack of response to B₁₂ treatment could result from a deficiency of one, a pair, or all three vitamins. However, it would be expensive and time-consuming to attempt to distinguish between the vitamin deficiencies.

Again, an important finding in this study is the large number of patients with serum B₁₂>300 pg/ml who have elevated values for one or more metabolites as indicated by a “**” next to the individual values. As is seen in Table 3, there are many examples of elevated values for MMA at all levels of serum B₁₂ including the mid-normal (300-600 pg/ml), the high-normal (600-800 pg/ml), and even the elevated (>800 pg/ml) ranges. The same is true for elevations of HC. In some patients the serum folate is low, indicating that folate deficiency may be present, but in many cases both B₁₂ and folate levels are normal. B₆ levels were not performed in this study, but B₆ deficiency would not be expected to cause elevations of MMA. Thus, again it is not clear which vitamin, or pair of vitamins, or whether all three vitamins is or are deficient. One could pick a single vitamin with which to treat a patient for several weeks or months, and then repeat measurement of metabolite levels to determine if a partial or full correction had occurred. If there was no response, one could try another vitamin, or if there was a partial response one could add a second vitamin, and then repeat metabolite measurement after several weeks or months. If there was still no response, one could try the third vitamin, or if there was a partial response, one could try a different pair of vitamins. Eventually one could determine whether an individual vitamin, a particular pair of vitamins, or all three vitamins were required to normalize or maximally reduce the metabolite levels, but it would often require months or even a year to make this determination. Such a determination would be expensive. In addition, a patient who was optimally treated with a single vitamin or pair of vitamins might subsequently develop a deficiency of one or even two of the other vitamins as evidenced by a re-elevation or increase in the levels of one or more metabolites. Therapeutic testing could be reinitiated and continued as described above, although this would also be time-consuming and expensive.

It requires less time and expense to treat patients with elevated metabolite levels with a combination of vitamin B₁₂ and folate, or a combination of vitamin B₁₂, folate and vitamin B₆. The utility of the approach of the present invention is appreciated only after it is taught, for the first time in the present disclosure, that a deficiency of one or more of the three vitamins occurs commonly in the elderly population as evidenced by elevation of one or more metabolites, i.e., MMA, 2-MCA, HC and CT.

EXAMPLE 5 Determination of Serum B₁₂ Folate, I4MA, and HC Levels in a Geriatric Population

A study was conducted with 548 elderly subjects from the Framingham study between the ages of 65-99 to determine serum B₁₂, folate, MMA, and HC levels (Table 4). The significance of the results shown in Table 4 (marked with “**”) are as described for Table 2 (Example 2).

As in the study described in Examples 3 and 4, the elderly population exhibited a shift to lower serum B₁₂ levels (FIG. 11), and elevated serum MMA and HC levels. The elderly population also exhibited a high incidence (9.5%) of low serum folate levels (Table 4). As in the studies reported in Examples 2, 3 and 4, the incidence of tissue or intracellular vitamin deficiencies based on elevated metabolite levels was higher than that predicted from measurement of serum vitamin levels.

As in Examples 3 and 4 above, these results confirm the importance of the finding that there are a large number of patients with serum B₁₂>300 pg/ml who have elevated values for one or more metabolites as indicated by a “**” next to the individual values. As is seen in Table 4, there are many examples of elevated MMA values at all levels of serum B₁₂ including the mid-normal (300-600 pg/ml), the high-normal (600-800 pg/ml), and even the elevated (>800 pg/ml) ranges. The same is true for elevations of HC. In some patients the serum folate is low, indicating that folate deficiency may be present, but in many cases both B₁₂ and folate levels are normal. B₆ levels were not performed in this study, but B₆ deficiency would not be expected to cause elevations of MMA. Thus, again it is not clear which vitamin, or pair of vitamins, or whether all three vitamins is or are deficient. One could pick a single vitamin with which to treat a patient for several weeks or months, and then repeat measurement of metabolite levels to determine if a partial or full correction had occurred. If there was no response, one could try another vitamin, or if there was a partial response one could add a second vitamin, and then repeat metabolite measurement after several weeks or months. If there was still no response, one could try the third vitamin, or if there was a partial response, one could try a different pair of vitamins. Eventually one could determine whether an individual vitamin, a particular pair of vitamins, or all three vitamins were required to normalize or maximally reduce the metabolite levels, but it would often require months or even a year to make this determination. Such a determination would be expensive. In addition, a patient who was optimally treated with a single vitamin or pair of vitamins might subsequently develop a deficiency of one or even two of the other vitamins as evidenced by a re-elevation or increase in the levels of one or more metabolites. Therapeutic testing could be reinitiated and continued as described above, although this would also be time-consuming and expensive.

It requires less time and expense to treat patients with elevated metabolite levels with a combination of vitamin B₁₂ and folate, or a combination of vitamin B₁₂, folate and vitamin B₆. The utility of the approach of the present invention is appreciated only after it is taught, for the first time in the present disclosure, that a deficiency of one or more of the three vitamins occurs commonly in the elderly population as evidenced by elevation of one or more metabolites, i.e., MMA, 2-MCA, HC and CT.

TABLE 2 SERUM METABOLITE & VITAMIN LEVELS IN A GERIATRIC OUTPATIENT POPULATION Pa- Homo- Total tient B₁₂ Folate cysteine MMA CT MC 116   66** 9.8 41.8** 1508**  507** 759** 118   79** 9.3 29.6** 2200**  343** 428** 016  155** 7.6 15.3 1316**  208  196  067  163** 6.6 9.9 93  164  69  091  178** 12.0 29.2** 3108**  438** 318** 042  181** 11.3 13.0 452** 300  262** 030  185** 6.6 26.0** 282** 310  223  037  187** 9.4 12.3 160  218  334** 100  187** 9.5 13.6 208  453** 141  036  188* 9.9 16.3** 298** 385** 322** 109  189** 7.6 12.3 127  188  161  007  191** 11.7 67.1** 6349**  619** 1005**  018  193** 5.8 16.7** 412  272  235** 050 210 4.0 25.3** 464** 727** 121  108 214 6.0 31.1** 264  523** 315** 041 216 7.2 19.1** 418** 360** 288*  126 224 6.5 8.8 103  361** 121  005 231 12.5 17.1** 269  825** 276** 024 235 13.0 18.5** 2946**  232  289** 111 237 6.3 14.6 135  380** 203  023 239 4.1 21.9** 385** 775** 279** 010 256 12.9 11.5 652** 119  144  055 258 6.8 7.5 189  342  185  102 259 10.9 23.9** 1894**  423** 400** 026 260 18.5 20.4** 1949**  295  248** 107 262 13.1 10.1 231  628** 153  038 269 7.6 15.7 222  152  152  140 277 4.0 29.1** 744** 602** 254** 074 278 5.2 24.1** 699** 296  187  002 278 14.6 14.8** 554** 259  277** 019 282 8.5 12.4 329** 262  161  035 287 5.8 9.8 230  390** 218  049 290 3.9 33.0** 140  275  138  078 290 10.9 12.5 197  240  209  045 291 8.7 9.5 162  613** 132  092 294 14.9 19.3** 500** 246  167  137 297 6.8 10.1 631** 340  184  072 298 6.7 19.7** 375** 302  246** 149 310 8.3 16.1 314** 199  149  047 312 4.9 15.9 277** 271  173  060 312 9.4 8.0 100  228  203  046 314 6.5 16.2 142  336  125  093 318 6.4 16.5** 304** 361** 130  014 321 14.5 10.7 275** 233  170  188 327 7.1 17.8** 263  507** 258** 032 340 6.6 8.6 150  133  133  147 347 7.6 18.2** 305** 219  265** 001 351 4.7 20.8** 199  402** 223  090 353 4.9 20.7** 144  419** 178  008 358 5.4 11.6 372** 529** 177  104 360 12.7 12.1 260  89  77  110 370 3.0** 17.1** 456** 297  150  103 371 18.7 14.5 257  219  180  056 373 6.5 12.4 236  415** 189  048 374 3.6** 9.7 167  237  230** 131 377 10.9 13.6 256  220  85  122 378 76 21.9** 906** 227  196  004 385 8.6 10.3 109  288  92  120 390 9.8 22.9** 499** 529** 260** 138 405 6.9 14.7 334** 238  188  141 407 8.1 14.3 168  259  263** 101 408 5.9 9.2 160  134  40  145 410 3.7** 25.4** 567** 550** 349** 027 415 11.1 10.6 169  278  164  028 418 5.6 34.6** 608** 589** 351** 011 420 10.6 18.8** 683** 1014**  282** 081 421 6.6 16.5** 861** 641** 531** 033 423 4.2 16.3** 156  194  170  057 425 18.3 13.5 209  381** 321** 021 427 18.9 12.1 223  524** 168  135 430 8.8 13.5 284** 412** 180  097 435 15.4 10.9 353** 465** 119  052 438 6.8 15.2 281** 372** 238** 132 448 12.6 16.8** 1931**  394** 250** 086 451 12.1 6.6 139  208  107  148 458 13.9 11.4 187  322  238** 012 466 15.3 8.3 560** 250  144  083 466 12.0 13.7 366** 214  193  133 470 13.8 10.8 290** 275  55  017 475 4.0 39.6** 196  467** 220  053 476 13.4 12.3 226  206  125  009 482 6.5 25.3** 240  470** 214  066 498 9.6 12.9 374** 233  92  031 507 11.0 14.8 173  278  220  099 507 10.4 9.6 124  233  63  128 507 4.6 9.4 294** 324  176  013 514 11.3 15.9 163  151 522 7.8 14.3 370** 324  215  077 523 6.8 17.7** 184  210  214  079 523 15.6 13.0 316** 223  251** 054 524 4.9 10.0 148  230  123  020 524 9.9 14.2 235  366** 190  069 528 7.0 9.7 257  281  83  085 536 4.0 22.5** 97  191  114  084 551 14.2 12.5 166  179  131  082 559 12.3 14.6 208  371** 182  117 560 3.4** 18.8** 102  176  88  061 561 12.7 9.8 170  404** 152  006 567 4.6 16.8** 138  688** 165  129 567 4.9 16.2 363** 495** 331** 003 570 11.4 12.9 189  330  230** 115 576 6.3 17.8** 128  231  95  089 578 10.3 12.0 147  258  236** 143 581 2.6** 42.7** 165  555** 208  114 583 5.1 16.6** 599** 660** 177  080 593 9.5 18.0** 208  289  142  015 598 7.0 12.4 167  381** 95  039 598 9.6 18.1** 691** 719** 354** 070 612 5.6 13.7 197  296  82  051 622 12.9 8.3 119  246  150  139 628 8.5 7.8 145  166  83  150 628 8.6 14.5 295** 315  183  043 635 5.9 13.7 239  272  189  096 651 17.4 9.7 326** 073 657 7.0 9.5 186  238  78  127 665 5.8 8.1 166  344** 147  121 677 10.2 9.5 226  346** 173  034 694 15.9 12.1 406** 592** 584** 124 697 9.7 11.0 63  179  60  123 702 10.4 10.6 186  148  96  113 705 7.6 8.4 107  534** 92  071 709 10.6 11.3 207  584** 141  076 722 8.1 10.5 271  489** 138  044 724 7.3 12.1 212  683** 217  040 731 15.1 7.4 205  149  136  062 741 4.4 18.7** 153  856** 416** 025 741 10.0 12.2 224  344** 121  119 755 5.9 10.1 187  377** 61  075 757 10.0 24.7** 246  345** 276** 098 759 13.8 13.9 380** 239  156  134 769 7.5 10.4 125  131  81  087 773 25.0 10.1 181  285  135  142 788 4.6 12.1 166  273  129  064 792 15.4 8.6 218  299  139  094 793 16.6 10.0 186  179  173  022 808 8.8 14.4 184  271  161  112 812 12.0 9.2 181  184  108  125 817 14.4 11.0 158  242  72  106 862 5.3 9.2 94  300  95  146 890 13.9 11.9 135  058 897 5.3 18.5** 154  460** 80  063 943 17.8 19.7** 277** 642** 306** 095 960 25.3 10.7 135  181  111  152 963 9.4 8.8 198  130 971 15.9 13.5 106  307  84  059 1063  9.4 9.7 129  378** 54  105 1109  11.0 6.1 87  155  64  136 1163  6.0 13.1 250  565** 122  065 1251  14.5 10.7 88  147  88  029 1490  22.2 9.7 129  111  105  144 1536  7.0 17.7** 216  694** 418** 068 1809  12.7 10.4 59  128  39 

TABLE 3 SERUM METABOLITE & VITAMIN LEVELS IN A GERIATRIC NURSING HOME POPULATION Patient B₁₂ Folate Homocysteine Methylmalonic Acid NH170   8** 14.0 34.8** 3365**  NH129   40** 7.4 40.9** 6245**  NH156   44** 22.4 17.4** 1130**  NH139   56** 9.7 20.9** 1180**  NH132   67** 7.6 92.4** 12641**  NH176  129** 9.2 20.3** 1156**  NH196  136** 6.2 41.0** 1077**  NH109  139** 9.8 20.9** 1294**  NH203  146** 4.3 12.2 437** NH141  161** 13.4 12.2 223  NH178  172** 8.2 5.9 141  NH103  189** 5.5 13.1 362** NH181  196** 6.3 14.7 296** NH160 206 11.9 12.5 640** NH197 221 24.0 10.5 654** NH073 222 3.6** 19.8** 490** NH110 227 5.5 13.7 1297**  NH010 228 4.0 21.1** 413** NH012 234 8.7 16.0 596** NH037 236 11.5 22.5** 11299**  NH114 238 12.8 13.2 442** NH211 240 6.0 14.1 166  NH075 250 9.3 12.1 170  NH172 255 7.2 14.4 552** NH148 259 5.7 19.2** 317** NH138 264 9.2 16.7** 340** NH150 264 4.0 13.7 98  NH099 272 5.5 12.5 125  NH124 275 6.9 11.5 87  NH179 301 7.6 7.1 143  NH135 302 6.5 23.4** 397** NH087 304 7.8 10.8 327** NH180 304 5.8 10.5 237  NH209 306 7.6 11.9 105  NH107 310 3.3** 8.6 148  NH081 320 4.3 23.6** 470** NH068 324 7.9 13.4 243  NH183 325 7.7 11.1 144  NH033 330 13.8 7.7 149  NH161 333 8.5 11.3 385** NH192 337 10.7 9.5 209  NH136 340 6.7 18.2** 409** NH191 342 20.2 13.4 271  NH137 343 4.0 15.6 183  NH182 346 8.2 14.4 448** NH020 347 8.4 10.4 149  NH165 351 18.5 11.8 425** NH095 352 8.5 14.5 366** NH194 361 4.3 20.3** 305** NH106 362 4.8 12.9 298** NH060 367 4.7 16.4** 71  NH009 368 5.1 15.9 325** NH071 382 4.9 12.9 330** NH080 390 6.1 15.0 171  NH013 407 6.7 12.4 310** NH126 409 9.2 17.4** 137  NH030 411 11.2 10.4 844** NH210 413 8.6 11.9 210  NH158 414 5.7 16.2 508** NH027 416 10.2 15.5 769** NH003 424 16.5 9.5 167  NH187 429 4.7 8.8 439** NH022 430 10.5 14.0 214  NH082 436 10.6 17.7** 340** NH162 438 6.1 19.2** 180  NH021 439 5.3 15.1 191  NH056 447 11.7 10.9 184  NH119 448 3.2** 14.1 241  NH120 448 5.6 12.0 138  NH186 450 4.7 23.1** 213  NH064 451 6.9 10.6 237  NH057 453 14.6 10.4 282** NH131 454 8.1 16.2 258  NH059 462 6.0 9.1 147  NH202 465 3.3** 17.0** 393** NH134 475 15.3 11.6 321** NH083 475 7.4 10.6 178  NH199 479 15.1 10.4 141  NH042 482 6.0 15.0 141  NH200 491 13.6 9.8 154  NH213 497 8.1 10.0 92  NH143 500 5.2 22.1** 175  NH031 502 6.4 16.1 151  NH188 504 12.5 15.1 1461**  NH171 504 10.7 12.9 344** NH008 505 4.6 9.9 185  NH102 506 16.6 9.1 236  NH145 512 7.7 22.2** 161  NH093 514 5.1 17.7** 185  NH118 524 25.0 10.1 314** NH185 524 8.7 12.1 84  NH111 527 5.1 18.4** 250  NH149 530 12.6 18.2** 531** NH011 534 8.1 12.5 654** NH128 540 4.3 11.6 120  NH035 547 7.5 9.8 193  NH005 551 17.7 5.0 365** NH212 552 11.9 12.1 202  NH007 554 6.4 26.1** 646** NH086 554 9.5 5.1 127  NH069 555 22.7 6.8 134  NH121 555 8.2 10.0 112  NH117 571 6.6 9.7 351** NH055 581 14.8 9.1 265  NH025 581 5.2 15.3 181  NH104 583 3.9 14.6 1699**  NH173 583 11.2 10.6 160  NH177 584 6.2 5.7 111  NH207 586 8.5 16.4** 243  NH070 591 5.4 12.0 168  NH038 592 8.0 8.8 230  NH049 599 10.7 21.7** 238  NH062 606 4.5 7.7 96  NH153 608 7.7 13.6 221  NH206 611 6.6 16.4** 400** NH018 614 6.3 10.9 123  NH163 616 5.0 9.6 132  NH189 619 7.6 12.0 158  NH045 620 21.0 12.4 265  NH074 621 10.2 9.2 172  NH054 623 8.0 9.8 121  NH152 625 8.2 7.8 206  NH140 637 21.7 13.6 300** NH050 642 16.3 13.5 275** NH089 644 7.7 16.7** 444** NH036 649 7.9 10.7 68  NH097 651 6.6 13.4 426** NH016 656 4.1 61.0** 356** NH053 657 14.2 10.6 320** NH066 658 7.7 11.4 228  NH051 659 4.0 10.7 216  NH108 671 5.8 24.0** 823** NH058 673 6.0 11.2 392** NH028 675 22.3 9.1 105  NH204 678 4.7 10.2 148  NH169 679 6.9 19.2** 267  NH032 681 12.7 5.9 99  NH065 682 11.0 13.5 176  NH061 683 13.4 9.6 190  NH116 685 9.0 7.5 244  NH015 699 6.8 16.8** 236  NH157 711 10.0 12.8 198  NH155 715 10.0 17.6** 308** NH034 715 7.9 11.4 179  NH040 717 10.5 15.7 256  NH105 718 6.0 13.2 308** NH048 719 8.0 10.8 207  NH084 720 6.8 9.4 169  NH115 724 16.3 9.4 161  NH205 734 8.5 13.3 232  NH113 738 11.7 10.3 171  NH154 738 13.7 9.6 123  NH167 741 17.0 6.6 129  NH190 752 5.2 14.1 254  NH067 760 22.5 9.5 232  NH014 767 8.9 7.3 100  NH072 768 8.3 6.9 131  NH133 772 8.8 20.4** 219  NH122 778 6.0 10.4 108  NH076 781 12.1 14.9 282** NH147 785 7.5 24.5** 411** NH026 786 9.7 8.3 146  NH151 789 24.4 11.1 182  NH198 797 10.9 10.7 158  NH088 801 6.4 18.3** 184  NH004 806 11.3 8.8 96  NH024 818 5.1 14.1 219  NH100 826 16.4 10.5 103  NH078 831 7.2 10.3 266  NH052 844 19.6 8.0 193  NH142 848 18.6 12.1 398** NH002 862 9.4 11.3 212  NH091 891 4.9 12.6 169  NH127 897 22.0 8.4 132  NH096 901 9.3 5.2 104  NH201 910 25.0 15.7 424** NH184 941 21.5 10.8 170  NH208 945 20.2 9.8 111  NH130 968 22.4 10.4 339** NH164 989 8.0 16.8** 102  NH077 1006  15.1 9.2 188  NH017 1015  11.9 9.5 175  NH029 1053  18.6 11.4 161  NH023 1055  9.3 9.7 193  NH047 1079  6.4 11.4 106  NH043 1082  14.5 13.9 144  NH195 1088  36.9 12.2 150  NH193 1092  8.2 15.7 225  NH046 1093  9.2 18.8** 186  NH101 1108  3.9 8.1 139  NH098 1117  11.3 12.5 88  NH168 1124  25.2 15.0 203  NH006 1126  6.9 8.1 159  NH144 1135  8.0 21.9** 262  NH044 1159  26.8 10.2 109  NH175 1162  7.8 12.0 210  NH146 1179  9.8 10.1 129  NH112 1238  10.3 15.0 347** NH001 1304  13.1 6.9 142  NH166 1337  13.4 8.3 67  NH079 1346  18.0 12.0 248  NH041 1528  20.7 8.2 155  NH063 1559  15.0 7.0 66  NH159 1566  6.6 15.5 451** NH125 1703  8.2 20.6** 153  NH094 1768  15.9 8.4 182  NH123 2028  10.2 16.8** 206  NH174 2106  13.3 12.8 280** NH039 2227  23.8 8.9 119  NH019 2297  11.1 15.5 177  NH092 2360  5.7 9.8 131  NH085 3141  22.0 26.9** 1947** 

TABLE 4 SERUM METABOLITE & VITAMIN LEVELS IN A GERIATRIC POPULATION Patient B₁₂ Folate Homocysteine MMA 495   77** 10.0 65.4**  3145** 484   84** 10.0 77.5**  6820** 522  100** 3.6** 15.5 967** 455  115** 1.9** 21.8** 170  493  135** 4.4 16.9** 421** 528  145** 3.9 38.3** 729** 510  155** 4.6 14.1 804** 502  155** 2.1** 16.9** 347** 412  160** 18.5** 33.8**  1301** 409  160** 4.8 16.8** 164  470  165** 9.2 19.9**  1468** 460  165** 6.8 11.5 142  437  170** 4.9 16.5** 813  439  170** 1.2** 21.3** 502** 525  175** 11.5 15.3  1058** 442  175** 4.2 17.5** 328** 456  180** 7.3 11.1 206  450  180** 5.0 11.8 196  477  185** 3.4** 31.4** 369** 508  190** 4.1 19.5** 335** 423  190** 2.5** 19.0** 329** 462  190** 3.8 11.6 276** 523  190** 5.6 16.8** 207  482  190** 2.9** 25.1** 179  459  190** 5.3 19.6** 167  543  195** 4.3 13.5 470** 520  195** 1.7** 22.2** 309** 431  195** 7.2 13.5 251  513 200 5.0 25.0**  1184** 534 200 4.9 32.6**  1080** 515 200 4.9 17.3** 478** 531 200 5.1 26.8** 466** 516 200 3.6** 17.8** 279** 526 200 1.6** 23.5** 171  471 205 5.7 22.0** 542** 413 205 2.6** 20.4** 304** 497 205 3.3** 19.4** 258  539 205 4.1 15.4 247  544 205 12.5 11.7 233  540 205 4.0 17.1** 185  517 205 2.2** 15.0 151  496 210 3.7** 15.2  1103** 488 210 16.5 21.8** 600** 416 215 12.5 10.0 197  434 220 7.1 24.8** 439** 545 220 11.5 14.4 407** 547 220 5.3 17.5** 396** 408 220 3.2** 16.4** 357** 449 220 3.7** 13.7 272** 507 220 8.5 10.0 179  458 225 10.5 21.1** 964** 491 225 7.2 16.0 472** 529 230 2.0** 61.1  1172** 415 230 3.2** 28.9** 377** 453 230 3.6** 19.8** 336** 448 230 5.2 13.1 319** 498 230 5.9 20.1** 255  533 230 5.7 11.7 151  466 235 35.0 12.1 617** 537 235 5.7 10.7 394** 483 235 8.6 16.6** 344** 512 235 3.9 12.5 190  452 240 4.7 26.5**  1068** 454 240 5.2 11.9 201  535 240 4.4 15.3 195  421 245 10.5 12.5 464** 469 245 6.2 20.0** 448** 474 245 7.3 10.3 327** 486 245 9.2 12.6 156  536 250 22.5 20.3**  1068** 475 250 5.6 23.0 456** 511 250 2.7** 23.1** 398** 465 250 4.1 23.1** 323** 506 250 5.2 11.5 252  417 250 5.5 25.2** 241  524 1250  2.5** 14.4 212  411 250 9.9 11.5 200  492 250 5.2 10.7 182  548 250 2.9** 12.4 179  441 250 4.5 8.5 147  480 255 4.8 16.9** 558** 532 255 7.0 14.8 419** 464 255 11.5 12.9 400** 494 255 6.2 12.1 293** 106 255 4.5 11.7 203  546 260 5.5 14.7 662** 541 260 5.4 30.8** 426** 420 260 5.3 13.6 347** 500 260 6.7 14.0 330** 538 260 9.3 17.3** 298** 457 260 2.9** 12.6 286** 472 260 8.3 13.8 278** 424 260 8.3 10.1 242  433 260 6.8 10.5 197  425 265 7.3 14.7 724** 468 265 3.8 16.7** 289** 435 265 7.4 14.0 150  499 265 2.2** 12.4 131  432 270 4.3 28.3** 432** 521 270 3.7** 15.3 349** 549 270 4.21 12.4 343** 518 270 10.0 10.1 276** 418 270 26.0 9.4 213  419 270 6.5 12.5 212  428 270 4.2 18.7** 189  443 270 8.8 12.0 187  446 270 11.0 8.1 157  461 275 7.6 15.1 663** 440 275 4.9 12.9 248  436 275 6.3 30.1** 233  530 275 7.4 13.6 231  438 275 4.6 8.5 221  527 275 7.5 10.5 219  444 275 4.0 12.2 180  429 280 5.3 15.3 463** 503 280 4.4 25.7** 421** 485 280 3.5** 15.6 381** 410 280 14.5 10.0 201  487 280 3.9 10.5 166  430 280 9.2 8.8 161  519 285 3.9 22.2** 919** 476 285 10.5 12.8 339** 509 285 5.4 13.0 331** 501 285 5.5 12.4 252  542 285 6.9 15.5 242  445 285 7.2 14.9 237  427 285 4.0 17.1** 233  490 290 4.7 13.9 203  451 290 2.1** 20.0** 226  414 290 7.0 9.7 117  467 290 4.1 6.5 68  463 295 5.8 12.3 296** 473 295 7.5 14.4 290** 505 295 4.1 12.4 257  198 300 11.5 10.9 323** 195 300 9.8 12.2 216  207 305 7.7 13.2 330** 67 305 8.6 15.4 312** 50 305 9.0 11.6 235  70 305 12.5 12.7 228  113 305 5.6 13.5 201  39 305 6.9 19.7** 170  3 305 4.2 11.5 135  325 305 14.5 9.4 94  368 310 4.7 15.9 371** 322 310 7.8 15.3 362** 295 310 7.2 13.8 305** 347 310 5.8 16.5** 266  313 310 6.1 16.5** 219  355 310 5.5 15.4 138  291 310 4.5 15.2 125  478 315 23.0 17.7** 857** 53 315 5.8 12.1 505** 240 315 6.7 12.3 394** 14 315 9.6 14.2 331** 137 315 7.8 24.3** 306** 254 315 8.7 17.0** 285** 109 315 3.7** 16.5** 263  252 315 5.2 10.1 241  186 315 4.1 15.4 238  183 315 5.5 10.7 195  390 315 6.9 10.0 188  267 315 2.2** 12.0 124  310 320 12.0 13.8 395** 31 320 17.0 12.9 334** 88 320 4.8 13.8 217  403 320 9.6 11.3 162  60 320 6.2 11.4 155  315 320 6.4 9.9 136  175 325 6.3 17.8** 486** 317 325 22.0 14.0 294** 18 325 6.3 11.1 241  247 325 13.5 13.2 231  223 325 9.2 12.6 203  132 325 3.7** 15.4 184  168 325 4.3 10.2 174  238 325 5.5 9.9 166  117 325 5.2 15.0 154  404 330 2.5** 33.1**  1085** 138 330 4.8 11.3 360** 316 330 3.6** 10.2 272** 61 330 5.1 12.5 242  333 330 34.0 9.2 235  16 330 4.6 13.3 211  276 330 5.7 11.9 200  391 330 4.1 8.4 184  362 330 9.2 11.7 178  1 330 9.9 8.9 170  379 335 16.0 12.1 471** 147 335 9.0 9.7 427** 89 335 8.0 15.3 385** 211 335 5.0 12.2 374** 45 335 5.9 16.3** 250  47 335 5.0 13.6 249  402 335 4.7 13.5 230  314 335 7.6 9.7 203  150 335 4.8 11.2 119  120 340 1.9** 21.0** 775** 284 340 7.2 25.6** 439** 230 340 14.0 11.4 419** 149 340 8.8 18.9** 337** 269 340 3.9 16.2 302** 197 340 10.5 12.8 233  19 340 9.6 11.0 232  422 340 3.1** 14.4 188  196 340 11.5 8.9 169  40 345 8.7 14.6 610** 244 345 8.6 15.8 461** 287 345 5.7 18.1** 427** 100 345 8.3 14.8 403** 383 345 4.3 27.2** 284** 62 345 19.5 9.6 250  350 345 8.0 10.0 249  65 345 8.0 10.2 247  307 345 16.5 11.6 208  69 345 17.0 9.9 197  328 345 7.5 8.9 192  43 345 6.0 13.2 191  222 345 6.1 9.2 175  306 345 4.3 17.2** 160  154 345 7.1 10.2 148  94 350 4.8 16.1 302** 201 350 6.1 9.9 200  13 350 5.1 10.9 193  236 355 7.2 14.8 309** 191 355 5.8 15.3 257  481 355 5.2 17.1** 134  92 360 4.2 25.2** 321** 324 360 3.8 16.6** 264  87 360 3.3** 13.3 200  46 360 5.4 11.1 179  289 360 9.5 7.9 129  392 360 5.1 10.3 125  320 365 6.4 17.3** 240  134 365 13.5 11.8 238  239 365 7.7 13.2 236  326 365 6.0 10.9 180  364 365 4.1 13.9 154  218 365 7.5 11.2 126  216 365 6.2 12.2 119  248 365 5.7 13.3 117  375 370 4.1 20.7** 532** 288 370 6.4 18.8** 436** 161 370 6.3 11.2 340** 244 370 19.5 9.8 286** 330 370 18.0 12.2 228  334 370 12.5 8.7 172  275 370 6.9 12.7 162  54 375 7.3 10.1 583** 185 375 9.3 10.5 386** 52 375 8.1 15.5 291** 366 375 5.0 12.5 280** 93 375 3.3** 16.2 248  151 375 2.9** 12.3 235  85 375 6.7 14.8 217  294 375 7.0 12.2 184  361 375 7.9 10.7 179  318 375 5.5 13.7 160  386 375 7.6 10.4 153  304 375 9.1 9.4 132  228 380 7.7 17.1** 320** 110 380 4.0 7.2 135  204 380 5.7 10.6 91  348 385 2.3** 17.4** 368** 146 385 11.5 12.5 253  260 385 5.5 13.7 211  136 385 3.6** 19.8** 205  338 385 5.0 16.2 180  376 385 3.6** 13.7 154  194 385 12.5 7.9 153  504 385 38.0 9.5 138  160 390 8.1 24.7** 475** 354 390 11.5 12.8 212  25 390 5.1 11.3 205  387 390 8.7 8.4 162  86 390 21.0 12.6 133  133 390 3.9 11.3 113  331 395 12.0 20.1** 638** 130 395 10.5 10.8 256  82 395 2.8** 9.8 236  119 395 12.5 16.3** 209  380 395 10.5 14.3 159  373 395 5.5 11.6 152  256 395 10.5 9.9 149  384 395 7.3 14.7 116  105 400 19.0 10.5 322** 251 400 4.8 14.9 289** 352 400 11.5 9.6 181  279 400 4.5 11.7 170  339 400 7.4 13.6 168  381 405 6.7 12.4 294** 285 405 7.0 14.2 281** 340 405 3.6** 19.6** 275** 51 405 6.5 14.3 233  33 405 6.5 9.6 207  268 405 3.3** 14.9 205  73 405 5.2 13.1 172  17 410 7.5 16.2 473** 286 410 4.7 18.8** 415** 140 410 5.9 21.7** 302** 116 410 6.8 14.5 218  396 410 5.6 16.1 190  356 410 1.9** 27.6** 149  237 410 3.6** 16.6** 122  112 410 5.5 8.9 107  259 410 4.7 11.6 99  176 415 5.2 21.9** 453** 193 415 10.5 11.3 163  323 415 6.1 9.6 163  202 415 11.5 9.4 150  398 415 8.0 12.6 134  321 420 5.2 10.7 383** 142 420 29.0 8.3 234  327 420 3.2** 14.6 203  342 420 7.3 9.4 156  170 420 20.5 10.3 142  345 420 29.5 13.2 136  302 420 8.6 8.8 128  115 425 6.3 22.2** 628** 97 425 12.5 19.8** 313** 246 425 8.7 15.1 241  72 425 10.5 13.5 241  365 425 6.7 16.7** 237  139 425 12.5 10.4 224  143 425 8.1 13.5 216  426 425 19.5 14.5 201  303 425 3.0** 14.5 154  388 425 6.2 12.3 135  127 425 6.7 8.4 100  262 430 10.0 12.1 323** 270 430 4.8 12.9 293** 514 430 4.3 12.9 197  341 430 3.5** 19.9** 190  278 430 5.2 10.8 182  370 430 11.0 15.3 174  55 430 7.6 11.0 162  274 430 5.0 8.2 131  367 430 17.5 8.0 126  98 430 13.5 12.8 125  337 435 13.5 14.1 395** 309 435 8.7 12.9 349** 305 435 17.5 15.4 187  144 435 25.0 8.9 167  34 435 8.6 7.6 157  234 435 9.7 9.2 116  123 440 9.6 12.2 622** 200 440 4.8 12.4 257  250 440 7.5 12.9 248  107 440 6.3 14.7 183  300 440 6.5 7.9 123  374 445 5.4 14.0 247  372 445 11.0 11.0 181  36 445 4.0 10.0 181  271 445 7.2 10.4 124  242 445 15.5 9.6 112  264 445 6.0 10.7 100  172 450 11.5 14.9 607** 32 450 11.5 13.6 362** 346 450 13.5 15.8 330** 41 450 8.5 11.4 194  95 450 5.1 12.5 182  357 455 6.3 14.4 296** 319 455 17.0 10.2 147  308 455 15.0 9.8 131  235 455 23.0 9.0 114  349 455 9.2 8.3 82  178 460 5.6 20.6** 473** 312 460 4.7 14.4 197  79 460 5.0 10.4 173  131 460 18.0 10.2 162  243 460 2.6** 11.6 160  261 465 7.7 10.6 252  378 465 5.4 13.2 221  49 465 47.0 10.8 179  226 465 7.7 10.2 173  377 465 5.6 8.5 143  253 465 10.0 7.0 138  76 470 12.5 14.8 304** 203 470 15.0 7.6 233  296 470 23.5 11.0 161  382 470 5.3 11.1 109  6 475 10.5 12.5 232  75 475 4.5 8.1 150  332 475 9.4 10.0 144  290 475 14.0 9.1 143  128 475 5.9 9.3 133  124 475 6.0 13.5 111  177 475 8.8 9.1 106  126 480 11.0 11.0 212  283 480 5.2 10.6 175  209 480 10.5 10.5 175  293 480 6.8 15.5 135  121 485 4.7 20.0** 345** 282 485 12.0 10.9 236  71 485 13.5 8.1 168  385 485 9.0 14.1 128  190 495 9.9 10.4 410** 210 495 8.6 12.0 243  155 495 5.9 10.4 219  336 495 13.5 9.9 135  280 500 8.7 14.5 334** 96 500 4.7 10.8 237  145 500 5.9 17.5** 233  199 500 4.2 13.8 199  489 500 11.5 9.7 198  217 500 6.4 9.6 166  90 500 7.5 8.5 106  164 510 5.2 23.8** 408** 343 510 4.5 13.7 284** 42 510 4.9 7.4 233  351 510 8.5 11.0 207  299 510 12.0 8.0 104  99 520 10.5 25.8** 322** 114 520 30.0 10.9 220  369 520 29.0 16.7** 206  37 520 10.5 8.6 191  251 520 6.7 16.8** 151  401 520 7.5 12.6 148  229 520 7.9 11.0 116  135 520 3.2** 8.3 88  81 530 6.8 14.8 372** 91 530 14.5 10.6 228  167 530 23.5 9.2 176  181 530 5.5 9.3 171  56 530 20.0 8.3 163  5 530 13.5 8.1 159  180 540 12.0 9.0 216  311 540 4.1 13.3 214  389 540 3.9 13.9 169  125 540 5.5 13.0 159  35 540 22.5 11.0 123  104 550 10.5 16.5** 544** 393 550 4.9 11.9 339** 394 550 23.0 14.0 278** 292 550 6.9 16.2 263  163 550 6.7 14.3 219  66 550 10.5 11.6 206  29 550 17.5 9.6 191  227 550 7.9 11.7 154  38 550 7.5 11.9 152  241 550 10.5 9.8 100  102 550 9.7 8.6 91  77 560 24.0 14.8 554** 162 560 10.5 11.8 275** 273 560 8.7 9.4 180  80 560 6.3 11.2 108  255 560 8.8 9.9 93  122 570 66.0 13.8 304** 208 570 34.0 10.2 255  23 570 21.5 8.3 241  447 570 25.0 10.0 164  225 570 5.7 12.2 154  174 570 7.1 11.0 127  11 570 19.0 8.9 113  165 580 10.5 14.8 226  182 580 8.9 8.2 189  245 590 15.5 10.0 262  83 590 17.5 8.3 199  166 590 11.5 9.4 188  158 590 7.3 10.7 166  187 590 4.5 11.0 146  156 590 23.5 11.3 112  231 600 9.5 9.0 192  78 600 11.5 9.4 151  329 610 15.0 7.3 312** 57 610 16.0 11.9 286** 7 610 12.0 10.4 195  277 610 9.5 7.8 153  108 620 13.5 8.4 191  205 620 18.0 7.5 145  263 620 9.8 10.2 101  9 630 4.9 11.4 300** 111 630 8.3 11.1 276** 68 630 11.5 8.9 143  399 630 14.0 11.0 90  266 640 5.1 15.7 364** 12 640 24.5 9.0 233  152 640 8.1 10.0 209  405 640 7.0 12.8 186  27 640 22.5 8.4 136  258 640 8.3 11.2 120  249 640 8.7 9.1 81  297 650 16.0 10.0 279** 192 650 4.9 14.9 213  257 650 3.3** 16.3** 208  184 650 12.5 9.9 193  58 650 18.5 10.7 172  301 650 16.0 15.5 162  397 650 12.5 8.4 146  272 650 11.0 7.4 120  153 650 7.1 13.1 116  406 650 6.6 5.8 81  10 660 9.0 7.6 154  26 660 22.0 8.3 132  265 670 3.9 19.3** 509** 359 670 21.0 8.3 269  48 670 32.0 9.9 262  335 670 11.5 8.1 121  189 680 6.6 17.9** 358** 220 680 15.5 10.9 115  15 690 13.5 13.4 159  44 700 20.0 12.7 244  21 700 13.5 10.2 129  74 700 15.0 7.1 65  4 710 29.0 8.5 266  353 710 11.5 11.4 206  281 710 10.5 9.6 185  2 710 8.0 8.5 109  212 740 20.0 11.1 250  8 740 12.0 11.5 216  206 750 12.5 8.3 116  101 770 14.5 12.7 372** 344 770 32.0 11.7 297** 20 770 35.0 10.1 245  407 770 10.5 12.0 110  360 780 2.7** 20.9** 157  232 790 15.5 10.1 151  141 790 12.5 9.5 74  129 800 8.7 11.7 211  188 800 15.0 12.3 174  400 800 12.5 10.3 156  24 810 23.0 7.5 194  173 830 35.0 11.4 243  214 830 21.5 12.0 187  63 830 13.8 8.8 185  148 830 45.0 7.1 146  84 830 23.5 7.0 136  179 830 16.5 6.6 96  171 840 23.5 11.2 195  28 870 5.8 15.9 197  233 870 7.9 12.7 169  221 870 40.0 7.0 126  371 880 20.0 8.5 152  213 890 10.5 18.0** 231  358 900 21.0 8.3 149  298 910 15.5 10.2 221  118 910 100.0 9.7 170  479 950 11.5 12.1 188  30 950 6.2 10.5 170  159 1000  9.5 8.7 281** 219 1050  37.0 14.3 313** 103 1050  12.5 10.3 154  59 1150  17.5 7.3 180  157 1250  12.0 14.0 206  363 1350  28.0 10.4 190  22 1400  13.5 10.4 233  64 1400  31.0 9.7 149  169 1450  15.0 9.5 150  

What is claimed is:
 1. An oral vitamin formulation comprising approximately 2.0 mg vitamin B₁₂ and 0.4 mg folic acid.
 2. The formulation of claim 1, further comprising 5-75 mg vitamin B₆.
 3. The formulation of claim 2, having approximately 25 mg vitamin B₆.
 4. An oral vitamin formulation, comprising approximately 2 mg vitamin B₁₂ and 1.0 mg folic acid.
 5. The formulation of claim 4, further comprising 5-75 mg vitamin B₆.
 6. The formulation of claim 5, having approximately 25 mg vitamin B₆.
 7. An oral vitamin formulation comprising approximately 2.0 mg vitamin B₁₂ and 0.1-0.4 mg folic acid.
 8. The formulation of claim 7, further comprising 5-75 mg vitamin B₆.
 9. The formulation of claim 8, having approximately 25 mg vitamin B₆.
 10. An oral vitamin formulation, comprising approximately 2 mg vitamin B₁₂, 0.4-10.0 mg folic acid, and further comprising 5-75 mg vitamin B₆.
 11. The formulation of claim 10, having approximately 25 mg vitamin B₆. 